This invention relates to fuser and pressure roller type fusing stations for fusing toner images in electrostatographic copiers and printers. More particularly, the invention relates to such a fusing station that includes an easy, inexpensive, and clean method and apparatus for applying release oil to the surface of the fuser roller of such station.
Fuser and pressure roller type fusing stations, for fusing toner images on a suitable receiver in electrostatographic copiers and printers, are well known. Usually the fuser roller of such stations is heated. It rotatably forms a fusing nip with the pressure roller, and the receivers with unfused toner images thereon are passed through such fusing nip such that the surface of the heated fuser roller directly contacts and heats the toner images being fused.
A common problem associated with such fusing stations is the offsetting of the toner images being fused from the receiver onto the surface of the fuser roller. In order to prevent such offsetting, it is well known to apply a release oil, such as silicone oil, to the surface of the rotating fuser roller. Some of the various conventional methods and apparatus for applying such oil to the surface of the fuser roller are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,832, issued to Bendall et al. on Sep. 28, 1976, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,393,804, issued to Nygard et al on July 19, 1983, as well as in Great Britain Patent Specification No. 1,399,740, Published July 2, 1975. Typically, the conventional apparatus disclosed each include a member for applying the oil to fuser roller, and a supply source, for example, a replenishment bottle, for the oil. The oil applying member must occasionally be replaced by an ordinary operator, who must frequently also renew the supply source of oil. Furthermore, each such conventional apparatus includes a separate and dedicated drive means, such as a motor, for powering the means for feeding the oil from the supply source to the oil applying member.
Such conventional apparatus are expensive, and are often difficult for ordinary operators to handle. Particularly, such handling can be messy, especially given separate and individual handling of replenishment bottles of oil, as well as, of spent and oil-soaked release oil application members.